Horsemanship Week and the week after October 2009

It’s Horsemanship week October 2009 and although I’m not taking part in all the activities I thought it would be interesting for people to hear what is going on and a reminder to me what a great time I had. You always learn things – this morning at breakfast I learnt it is bad etiquette to sit on your horse with your leg crossed over the saddle – I will NEVER do that again. Laurie Krause and Jeff Wahlert are here as the trainers with Jeff’s son Ross providing a helping and knowledgeable hand.
Things started badly with a plane delay before I even set off so I had to spend a night in Philadelphia – not much fun. So I missed by first morning ride - not a good thing. I managed to arrive for the afternoon ride and rode Smokey (See her fan club!) the poor girl is not very fit and she got hot doing the new Salt Lick Seven. Jeff started two colts in the afternoon – Moonshine one of Spankey’s first colt and Brutus. He rode them both by the end of the afternoon.

In the evening after the meal we had to introduce ourselves and say where we were from etc and say what our horse was called if we had one and what we would call a horse if we got one.

On the Tuesday woke up to a cloudy day but the cloud cleared and I rode Sasha. Heidi myself and Jeff (wrangler) did the Saw Mill. High Ridge backwards (well not actually backwards just the other way!) and then on to Government bridge and then the chilli bowl for the second time and we were at Helens rock 1 hour and 10 minutes after we set off!! Great picnic lunch – ate with Tyler Byron who was visiting and then rode with Mike to Mule Deer with bushwhacking down to Goose Creek afterward. Another great ride! (of course)

Then watched Jeff start another of Spankey’s other colts– a cremello filly was so quiet until she moved with the saddle on and they we had a bronco display! He rode her also and then it was time to get ready for the square dance which I am looking forward to as usual